1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to medical devices, methods, and systems. In a particular aspect, the present invention provides devices, methods, and systems for shrinking tissues, and which are particularly useful for treatment of urinary incontinence in a laparoscopic or minimally invasive manner.
Urinary incontinence arises in both women and men with varying degrees of severity, and from different causes. In men, the condition occurs almost exclusively as a result of prostatectomies which result in mechanical damage to the sphincter. In women, the condition typically arises after pregnancy where musculoskeletal damage has occurred as a result of inelastic stretching of the structures which support the genitourinary tract. Specifically, pregnancy can result in inelastic stretching of the pelvic floor, the external vaginal sphincter, and most often, the tissue structures which support the bladder and bladder neck region. In each of these cases, urinary leakage typically occurs when a patient's intra-abdominal pressure increases as a result of stress, e.g. coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercise, or the like.
Treatment of urinary incontinence can take a variety of forms. Most simply, the patient can wear absorptive devices or clothing, which is often sufficient for minor leakage events. Alternatively or additionally, patients may undertake exercises intended to strengthen the muscles in the pelvic region, or may attempt behavior modification intended to reduce the incidence of urinary leakage.
In cases where such non-interventional approaches are inadequate or unacceptable, the patient may undergo surgery to correct the problem. A variety of procedures have been developed to correct urinary incontinence in women. Several of these procedures are specifically intended to support the bladder neck region. For example, sutures, straps, or other artificial structures are often looped around the bladder neck and affixed to the pelvis, the endopelvic fascia, the ligaments which support the bladder, or the like. Other procedures involve surgical injections of bulking agents, inflatable balloons, or other elements to mechanically support the bladder neck.
Each of these procedures has associated shortcomings. Surgical operations which involve suturing of the tissue structures supporting the urethra or bladder neck region require great skill and care to achieve the proper level of artificial support. In other words, it is necessary to occlude the urethra or support the tissues sufficiently to inhibit urinary leakage, but not so much that normal intentional voiding of urine is made difficult or impossible. Balloons and other bulking agents which have been inserted can migrate or be absorbed by the body. The presence of such inserts can also be a source of urinary tract infections.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved devices, methods, and systems for treating fascia, tendons, and other support tissues which have been strained, or which are otherwise too long to provide the desired support. It would be especially desirable to provide improved methods for treating urinary incontinence in men and women. In particular, it would be desirable to provide methods for treating urinary incontinence in a minimally invasive manner with few or no percutaneous tissue penetrations, preferably utilizing laparoscopic or least invasive manner to minimize patient trauma. It would further be desirable to provide incontinence treatment methods which rely on the existing bladder support structures of the body, rather than depending on the specific length of an artificial support. It would also be desirable to provide methods which rely on introduction of a relatively simple probe into the urethra or vaginal, where tissue structures supporting or comprising the urethra may be caused to partially shrink in order to inhibit urinary leakage.
2. Description of the Background Art
Method and apparatus for controlled contraction of soft tissue are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,569,242, and 5,458,596. An RF apparatus for controlled depth ablation of soft tissue is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,130.
A bipolar electrosurgical scalpel with paired loop electrodes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,799. U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,732 describes a bipolar sphincterotomy utilizing side-by-side parallel wires. A disposable electrosurgical instrument is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,145. U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,312, describes an impedance and temperature generator control.
The following patents and published applications relate to the treatment of urinary incontinence. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,603; 5,411,475; 5,376,064; 5,314,465; 5,304,123; 5,256,133; 5,234,409; 5,140,999; 5,012,822; 4,994,019; 4,832,680; 4,802,479; 4,773,393; 4,686,962; 4,453,536; 3,939,821; 3,926,175; 3,924,631; 3,575,158; 3,749,098; and WO 93/07815.
An electrosurgical probe for the controlled contraction of tissues of the joints and for dermatological indicators is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,596. A bipolar electrosurgical probe having electrodes formed over a restricted arc of its distal end for treatment of, e.g., the esophagus, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,331. An electrosurgical probe for retrograde sphincterotomy is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,696. Other patents describing electrosurgical probes include U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,545; 5,454,809; 5,447,529; 5,437,664; 5,431,649; 5,405,346; 5,403,312; 5,385,544; 5,370,678; 5,370,677; 5,370,675; 5,366,490; 5,314,446; 5,309,910; 5,293,869; 5,281,218; 5,281,217; 5,190,517; 5,098,429; 5,057,106; 4,807,620; 4,776,344; 4,409,453; and 373,399.
The disclosure of the present application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/610,911, filed on Mar. 5, 1996, having a common inventor but assigned to a different entity.